“Resigning to Fate” Versus “Submitting to God”

<Ruth 1:1-5, 20-22; Mt 26:39, 42, 44; Php 2:12-13; 1 Pe 1: 3, 6-7, 13-15>

Prelude

· Read <Ruth 1:1-5, 20-22> Naomi’s attitude of “resigning to fate”.

o Do not “resign to fate” too soon, do not believe our feelings when we are hopeless.

o Hopelessness often blind us to God’s grace that is already given to us.

o Situation of hopelessness is not for us to be “resigned to fate”, but for us to seek God.

· Example of submission to God:  Jesus. Read <Mt 26:39, 42, 44>

o His submission is not grudgingly “resigning to fate”.

1. What’s the difference between “resigning to fate” and “submitting to God”?

· “Resigning to fate” and “submitting to God both involve things man cannot control, change or escape. However, the inner attitudes of these two states are totally different. 

1）Attitude of “Resigning to fate”.

· Baidu’s definition: “Resigning to fate” is to admit that the unfortunate event is destined; acknowledging that one’s own life is not good and just accept it.

· Negative, pessimistic, giving up on oneself.

· Stop striving, not praying even when encountering problems, losing faith in God.

2）Submitting to God.

· Trusting God, and yielding to God’s guidance.

· Not helpless, not grumbling, but willing.

· Still having a good and intimate relationship with God.

· Even when faced with adversities and challenges, still can find strength.

2. Can Christians who submit to God strive for change?

· American theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr’s “The Serenity Prayer”:

“O God grant me... 
the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change; 
the Courage to change the things I can, 
and the Wisdom to know the difference, Amen.”

1）Things that cannot change.

· For example: Our family of origin, our past, life stages from birth, old age, illness and death, God’s moral laws, will and plans.

· In things that cannot change, we ought to trust God’s leading and submit to God.

2）Should Christians strive for change?

· Although God is sovereign, He has given man free will to make decisions and be responsible for his decisions.

· Read <Php 2:12-13>.

· God, in His sovereignty, can also choose to use man’s actions (striving) to accomplish His perfect will.

· Especially, must transform our lives, put off old self and put on new self.

· Christians especially must not have the attitude of “resignation” in resisting sin.

· Neither can they have the attitude of “resignation” in doing good works even though they kept failing to do well.

· Yet, be clear that we may not be able to change external circumstances.

3）Must have wisdom to differentiate things that can be changed and things that cannot.

· Wisdom comes from the Word of God.

o The Word of God has unchanging principles, commandments, promises, etc.

o The Word of God also tells us what He wants us to change.

o The Word of God teaches us how to deal with things we are not sure we can change.

3. Christians are not to “resign to fate” but to “obey God”.

· Read <1 Pe 1:13-15>, <1 Pe 1:3, 6-7>.

· Christians are not to “resign to fate” but to “acknowledge God”.